By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
It was a young rebuilding Tucumcari Rattlers team that travelled up to Raton for a game in the Jungle Friday night September 9, and the Tigers took advantage of that inexperience to mark the win column once again with a 58-8 romp ending the game with 4:13 on the fourth quarter clock.
It was a slow start for Raton as the ball stayed in the Tucumcari (south) end of the field for most of the first quarter before Raton found the groove and Adrian Romero took the ball in for six from the one-yard line with 4:30 on the first quarter clock. Cole Hopper added the PAT for a 7-0 game. Just over two minutes later in the game Raton’s Cayden Walton broke free and raced 40 yards and six more Raton points. Hopper’s hot foot added the PAT and made it a 14-0 game with 1:54 left in the first quarter.
Tucumcari did a three and out with a punt leaving Raton on the Tucumcari 43. Two incomplete passes later it was Cayden Walton off to the races again this time with a 43-yard scamper for six. Hopper adds the PAT for a 21-0 game with 1:08 left in the first quarter.
The play continues into the second quarter where the Raton defense sprinkled with JV players shuts Tucumcari down and nine plays later it’s a pass from Jacob Mattorano to Adrian Romero for a 21-yard TD play. Hopper adds the PAT and it’s a 28-0 ball game at 8:45 on the second period clock.
Going up against a more equal JV team defense Tucumcari manages to move the ball down the field. Eight plays later Daymion Urioste takes the ball 26 yards for what would be Tucumcari’s only score of the game. The 2-point try is good as Antonio Gonzales tumbles over a Raton player into the endzone to make it 28-8 with 3:59 left in the first half.
The Tucumcari kickoff was returned to the Raton 46 where Mattorano handed off to Cayden Walton who danced his way through the line, and it was a race to the goal line for six. Hopper adds the PAT for a 35-8 at 3:42 left in the second quarter.
Tucumcari’s next series ended with a fumble with Chase Middlebrook making the recovery on the Tucumcari 21. Unable to get the ball in the endzone Coach Tory Giacomo calls on Cole Hopper to attempt a 33-yard field goal and its good for 38-8 half time score.
Raton opened the second half of play with a 46-yard Cayden Walton run on the second play from scrimmage for another Raton six. Hopper added the PAT for a 45-8 third quarter score with only a few seconds off the clock.
Tucumcari dug a 47-yard hole on their next series of plays that they could not recover from forcing them to punt the ball away giving Raton the ball on the 43. Five plays later Mattorano passes off to Adrian Romero for a 43-yard TD play with 4:05 left in the third. Cayden Walton took over the kicking duties for the PAT and sent it wide right leaving it 51-8.
Tucumcari manages to hold on to the ball and take the game into the fourth quarter with a running clock. Jayden Padilla intercepts a Julian Griego pass to give Raton the ball on the Raton 31. Raton takes the ball and drives to the 47 where quarterback Azden Romero tosses the ball to Adrian Romero for a 47-yard TD pass play. Cayden Walton comes in to add the PAT and end the game with a 50-point difference at 58-8 at 4:13 on the game clock.
Raton will travel down to Escalante for the fifth game of the season then will be back in Raton for homecoming the following week against Socorro.
